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Friday 23 February 2007

AM is Australia's most informative morning current affairs. It covers the stories each morning that the other current affairs teams follow for the rest of the day. Below is the program summary with links to transcripts and audio (if available).

Nationalities unknown of 85 people found in waters off Christmas Island

Life aboard a navy ship is never luxurious and on the auxiliary oiler, HMAS Success, space is at a premium this morning after the navy picked up a boatload of 85 asylum seekers on Wednesday night as they tried to reach Christmas Island. The Immigration Minister says that while he doesn't have much information about the men, the government has no intention of bringing them to mainland Australia.

Calls for 85 found off Christmas Island to be brought to mainland Australia

The Federal Government has at least three options available for dealing with the 85 asylum seekers, including sending them to Christmas Island or to Nauru.It's been reported in The Australian newspaper that crew from Success tried to fix the engine of the men's boat in the hope of turning them back from where they came. David Mann is the Coordinator of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre.

Victoria won't sign PM's water plan

The Premiers are in Canberra today for what's shaping up as showdown. It's high noon for John Howard's $10 billion dollar water plan and already Victoria's Premier Steve Bracks has been taking pot shots at it, calling it ill prepared.Mr Bracks looks unlikely to sign up to the Commonwealth deal, and he's urging other Premiers to consider his alternative proposal.

Water plan long time in the making: Turnbull

Federal Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull is riding shotgun on the Prime Minister's water plan. He says Steve Bracks will cost his State's farmers millions in funding for vital infrastructure if he refuses to sign the Commonwealth's national water security deal. Malcolm Turnbull told our chief political correspondent Chris Uhlmann it was nonsense to claim the Prime Minister's plan was ill-prepared.

Prince Harry to serve in Iraq

Second Lieutenant Harry Wales looks much the same as any of the other young soldiers in the British Household Cavalry. And soon, just like the others, he'll be posted to Iraq. But he's no ordinary 22-year-old soldier, he's Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne and he's off to war where thousands of coalition troops have died.

Basra better than before invasion: Danish General

The Chief of Denmark's defence forces, has told AM by August, Denmark will have withdrawn 460 combat soldiers from their base near the southern city of Basra. A small helicopter unit will stay behind. The withdrawing combat force is similar in size to Australia's contingent in the south.

Newcastle to be a four-cornered election race

The steel, coal and surf city of Newcastle used to be a sure thing for the Labor Party, but not any more. At next month's New South Wales election it's a three, possibly four cornered race. There are two, high-profile Independents vying for the seat, one of them is a dumped Labor-sitting member and the other is the popular Lord Mayor.

Fears held for Russian forest after Putin backs development plans

In Russia, wildlife conservationists and developers are at odds over plans to turn large tracts of national forest into a winter sports resort. Russian President Vladimir Putin has a country house in the area and he's backed the developers' proposals. Moscow Correspondent Emma Griffiths has the story.

New Zealand fishermen catch Giant Colossal Squid

For centuries, tales of the monsters in the deep have been legion. But every now and then the ocean gives up a little of its secrets. The latest revelation comes from New Zealand where fishermen have set the marine biological world buzzing. They've landed what's believed to be the world's biggest squid. The aptly named Colossal Squid is about 10 metres long and weighs nearly half a tonne. New Zealand correspondent Peter Lewis reports.